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Cheap Thrills, maybe – but they cut deeply and last forever! This is one of greatest albums by Big Brother & The The Holding Company – and it's also one of the most important in cementing the legacy of singer Janis Joplin. The raw manic energy of the group at their live best is somehow bottled and presented on record as perfectly as ever could be – and even better are the delicate moments that show such an incredible depth! Titles include "Turtle Blues", "Oh Sweet Mary", "Ball & Chain", "Summertime", "Piece Of My Heart", and "I Need A Man To Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Cosmic righteousness from Brother Ahh – an enigmatic musician who worked briefly with Sun Ra, and continued an exploration of the sonic heavens on his own! This rare 1975 album features Ahh's Sound Awareness ensemble – a 25 piece group that features a host of voices set to percussion, flutes, and other intimate and evocative instrumentation. The feel's quite hard to describe – kind of a cross between Sun Ra and Moondog, with the righteous style of vocalization that you might find on some of the Max Roach experiments with voices, recorded in the relaxed and expressive style of the early AACM – all of which means it's a great little record, with a very striking approach! Titles include "Transfiguration", "Nature's Children", "Transcendental March", "Boundless Rhythm", "Sweet Illumination", and "Celestial Strings". CD

A very trippy album from the enigmatic Brother Ahh – aka Robert Northern, former member of Sun Ra's Arkestra, and also a lecturer on the east coast! This album's his first, originally issued on the Strata East label – and a spacey mixture of other-worldly sounds. The first long track on the album is entitled "Beyond Yourself (The Midnight Confession)", and features a group with Ahh on flutes and "natural" sounds, plus cello by Pat Dixon, percussion by Barbara Burton, and soprano voice by Barbara Grant. The track's a "sound journey in 7 parts" – floating across space with a mystical feel that slowly unfurls. The other long track on the set is "Love Piece", a tune in which Ah plays flute along with percussion by Max Roach and the M'Boom percussion ensemble – plus a 90-voice chorus, and a short rap by Roach. Very spiritual stuff! CD

Little Brother transitions to the majors with their soulful underground sound intact – and deliver an effort that in the best moments improve upon the already classic Listening LP! It looks like this just isn't going to go over with the TRL crowd, despite the Atlantic logo. The soul sample vibe in general has seeped back onto the pop charts thanks to Kanye, but the prolific 9th Wonder's brand is of a much grittier stock, providing a rock solid, emotional soul foil for the rhymes of Phonte and Big Pooh. Honestly, as ubiquitous as 9th's production presence continues to be, there's still really no one else out there like Little Brother – which is another reason to celebrate. Like the golden era work by the prime movers of the Native Tongues, the Wu, and Organized Noize collectives, LB's sound is an instantly identifiable, singular signature that you just can't bite. Don't expect to hear a better full length hip hop album on a major label in '05. Tracks include an intro & outro feat Yahzarah, "Beautiful Morning", "The Becoming", "Not Enough", "Slow It Down" and "All For You" feat Darien Brockington, "Cheatin'", "Lovin It" feat Joe Scudda, "Watch Me", "Sincerely Yours", "Still Lives Through", "We Got Now" feat Chaundon and more! CD

Stitt & McDuff in a very tasty set of organ/tenor grooves, played with that style that Prestige was finally beginning to perfect in the early 60s, as it let these organ combos shake off their 50's R&B sound, and start to hit a straighter jazz groove. Art Taylor's on drums, Eddie Diehl's on guitar, and Ray Barretto lopes along behind on congas. Titles include "Thirty Three, Ninety Six", "Nuther Fu'Ther", "Ringin' In", and "Pam Ain't Blue". Great cover, too – with Stitt in some very heavy-duty shades, looking very tuff! LP, Vinyl record album

A very trippy album from the enigmatic Brother Ah – aka Robert Northern, former member of Sun Ra's Arkestra, and also a lecturer on the east coast. This album's his first, originally issued on the Strata East label – and a space mixture of other-worldly sounds. The first long track on the album is entitled "Beyond Yourself (The Midnight Confession)", and features a group with Ah on flutes and "natural" sounds, plus cello by Pat Dixon, percussion by Barbara Burton, and soprano voice by Barbara Grant. The track's a "sound journey in 7 parts" – floating across space with a mystical feel that slowly unfurls. The other long track on the set is "Love Piece", a tune in which Ah plays flute along with percussion by Max Roach and the M'Boom percussion ensemble – plus a 90-voice chorus, and a short rap by Roach. Very spiritual stuff! LP, Vinyl record album

Cosmic righteousness from Brother Ahh – an enigmatic musician who worked briefly with Sun Ra, and continued an exploration of the sonic heavens on his own! This rare 1975 album features Ahh's Sound Awareness ensemble – a 25 piece group that features a host of voices set to percussion, flutes, and other intimate and evocative instrumentation. The feel's quite hard to describe – kind of a cross between Sun Ra and Moondog, with the righteous style of vocalization that you might find on some of the Max Roach experiments with voices, recorded in the relaxed and expressive style of the early AACM – all of which means it's a great little record, with a very striking approach! Titles include "Transfiguration", "Nature's Children", "Transcendental March", "Boundless Rhythm", "Sweet Illumination", and "Celestial Strings". LP, Vinyl record album

Brother Ahh & The Sounds Of Awareness —
Key To Nowhere ... CDManufactured/Divine, 1983. New Copy ...
Out Of Stock

Cosmic righteousness from Brother Ahh – aka Robert Northern – best known for his work with Sun Ra, but a force behind some wonderfully soulful records of his own! This album's one of Ahh's later works – self-released in 1983, with a conception that's fuller than his earlier works – almost in an Alice Coltrane spiritual mode, with tracks that emphasize consciousness, healing, well being, and awareness. Ah plays flute and French horn on the album – and other instrumentation includes percussion by Nasar Abadey and Barbara Burton-Tuten, bass from Mike Bowie, harp and mbiri from Jeff Majors, and guitar from Marvin Tuten. Most tracks are instrumentals – building in a nice Phil Cohran-ish way – but a few numbers feature vocals. And titles include "Sekou", "Nature's Blues", "Key To Nowhere", "Hanifah", "Motherless Child", "Celebration", and "The Void". CD

15

Brother Ahh & The Sounds Of Awareness —
Key To Nowhere ... LPDivine/Manufactured, 1983. New Copy (reissue)...
Out Of Stock

Cosmic righteousness from Brother Ahh – aka Robert Northern – best known for his work with Sun Ra, but a force behind some wonderfully soulful records of his own! This album's one of Ahh's later works – self-released in 1983, with a conception that's fuller than his earlier works – almost in an Alice Coltrane spiritual mode, with tracks that emphasize consciousness, healing, well being, and awareness. Ahh plays flute and French horn on the album – and other instrumentation includes percussion by Nasar Abadey and Barbara Burton-Tuten, bass from Mike Bowie, harp and mbiri from Jeff Majors, and guitar from Marvin Tuten. Most tracks are instrumentals – building in a nice Phil Cohran-ish way – but a few numbers feature vocals. And titles include "Sekou", "Nature's Blues", "Key To Nowhere", "Hanifah", "Motherless Child", "Celebration", and "The Void". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Jug's funkier albums from his time back out of the pen, and a tasty electric session with Billy Butler on guitar and Sonny Phillips on organ. Pretty Purdie plays drums, and he kicks it nice and lean on the great groover "Jungle Strut". The album also features a nice version of "Son of A Preacher Man", plus "Ger-ru", which features Junior Mance on piano. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic set – and one that really lives up to the promise of its title! Harold Corbin is a hell of a driving pianist – one who grabs you right from the very first note, with the kind of soulful swing that might have been more at home on Chess/Argo Records at the time – especially in the company of Chicago pianists like Ramsey Lewis or John Young! Corbin's trio has as much of a sharp swing as those groups – with work from Spanky DeBrest on bass and Eddie Campbell on drums – both of whom can snap in the right groove at the right point, while Harold still gets plenty of space to stretch out and make magic on the keys! Titles include "Tunga", "Soul Brother", "JAMF's", "The Girl In The Window", "Caroline", and "Soul Sister". CD

Dalton hails from Tunisia, and they've got a very groovy sound – a mix of 70s funk and some elements that almost remind us of Turkish rock – all wrapped up in a totally infectious groove on "Alech", which has a great group vocal on the cook! "Soul Brother" is a bit mellower, but maybe cooler overall – this laidback, slow-stepping funk track with sweet Fender Rhodes grooving alongside English language vocals 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really wild group from the Thai scene of the 80s – an ensemble that numbered as many as 30 members at its height, but which manages to come across with a surprisingly personal, stripped-down sound! The group features both male and female lead singers – working in molam modes that are almost conversational in the way the lyrics are presented – spinning out almost as a fast-talking approach to singing, sometimes with just one voice, sometimes two trading back and forth on the words – set to sweetly loping rhythms, and lots of cool instrumental inflections on keyboards and more exotic elements. There's a nice sense of evolution from Thai styles of the 70s – and a very lively sense of wit and personality in the performance – almost making each song feel like you've dropped in on a specific moment of conversation in a community! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record! This one's probably our favorite Isley Brothers album of all time – and it's a perfect blend of all the styles they were into at the time – heavy funk, sweet soul, folksy rock, and rolling uptempo grooves! The Brothers handle all styles equally well, and the album's a real delight as it skips effortlessly from track to track – always bringing a fresh sound to the experience of listening, and continuing to delight us year after year with the Isley's greatness! Includes the classic extended cut "Love Put Me On the Corner", a baroque soul symphony in itself; an amazing remake of "It's Too Late" that's way different than the original; the middle-class anthem "Work To Do"; and the funky cuts "Pop That Thang" and "Layaway". LP, Vinyl record album

A Scottish group who should have been huge – given the strength of songcraft and musical vision on this legendary set! Northwind have this really special sort of vibe here – new music really trying to break free of any easy labels or formats – as the group push forward with elements of fuzz and folk from the previous generation, but use the best new sonic forces given them on the London scene to craft a really personal album in the studio – filled with moments that rival their biggest contemporaries on the UK scene, but with maybe a bit more personal execution overall. Definitely not a record done in the "underground act picked up and given a quickie shot at fame" – but a lot more deeply done than that – with titles that include "Home For Frozen Roses", "Bystandin", "Guten Abend", "Peaceful", "The Candle Tree", "Quill", and "Many Tribesmen". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from the duo of Chuck & Mary Perrin – a sweetly dreamy folk rock duo from Central Illinois! The pair recorded this album for their own tiny Webster's Last Word label back in the late 60s – and although they were cut off in the hinterlands of the midwest near Peoria, there's a sound to their work that reminds us of a lot of the best California sunshine folk of the time! Chuck and Mary sing duet vocals on nearly every track – and although their background is folk, they're not really folkies – and are working much more in the freer-spirited, and personally empowered sound of the sunshine pop generation. Titles include "Commencement", "Violets Of Dawn", "Don't Know Why I Love You Like I Do", "Younger Generation", and "Mornings". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut full length from Pete Rock & CL Smooth – and a bonafide hip hop classic if there ever was one – one of the best ever! Pete Rock's trademark mix of heavy soul, jazz & funk beatcraft pretty much set the bar to a level that's been impossible to top ever sense. On top of being a front-to-back perfect album, Mecca & The Soul Brother has one of the great singles of the era, in "They Reminisce Over You (TROY)". What more can be said, really? An absolute essential! Disc 1 includes the original full length album. Titles include "Return Of The Mecca", "For Pete's Sake", "Ghettos Of The Mind", "Soul Brother #1", "Wig Out", "Anger Of The Nation", "Can't Front On Me", "The Basement" feat Heavy D, Rob-O, Grap & Dida, "If It Ain't Rough, It Ain't Right", "Skinz" feat Grand Puba and more. 16 tracks in all. Disc 2 features a wealth of bonus tracks, including 12" versions, remixes, acapellas, instrumentals and exclusives, including "It's Not A Game (Original 12" Version)", "Lots Of Lovin (Remix)" "They Reminisce Over You (TROY)" (Remix, Vibes Mix, and Instrumental versions), "Straighten It Out (Instrumental Version)". 15 tracks of bonus material! Comes in a heavy duty, beautiful deluxe box with a 20 page book with notes by Brian Coleman, Dante Ross, Pete Rock & CL Smooth and a full sized poster! CD

(A great deluxe box set edition of one of the great, game defining hop hop albums of all time!)

An excellent album by this lusty tenor player – and one of the rarest Blue Notes ever! Brother Don plays lean and mean, in a nice tight group that features Grant Green on guitar, Sonny Clark on piano, and Billy Higgins on drums – all of whom give Wilkerson a freer setting than he ever got working with his more famous bandleader, Ray Charles! The groove has a freer edge than on some of Wilkerson's other albums, with touches that almost reach a Latin sound at times – an influence most likely from Green's exotic work on guitar, and Higgins' wonderfully free rhythms. Titles include "Pigeon Peas", "Camp Meetin", "Jeanie Weanie", and "Dem Tamborines". LP, Vinyl record album

(Liberty pressing. Cover has some pen & a name written in large letters.)

The loopy West Coast classic! Heavily steeped in the P-Funk party vibe, Del's first LP is still a hip hop holy grail. Even if Ice Cube's production is a little too L.A. '89, Del's style was and still is inimitable – and "Mistadobolina" and "Ahonetwo, Ahonetwo" are every bit as classic as, I don't know, let's say Gone With The Wind! Other tracks include "What Is A Booty", "The Wacky World Of Rapid Transit", "P*ssin On Your Steps", "Money For Sex", "Dr. Bombay", "Sunny Meadowz", "Sleepin On My Couch", "Hoodz Come In Dozens", "Same Ol Thing", "Ya Lil Crumbsnatchers", and more. CD

An amazing record! This one's probably our favorite Isley Brothers album of all time – and it's a perfect blend of all the styles they were into at the time – heavy funk, sweet soul, folksy rock, and rolling uptempo grooves! The Brothers handle all styles equally well, and the album's a real delight as it skips effortlessly from track to track – always bringing a fresh sound to the experience of listening, and continuing to delight us year after year with the Isley's greatness! Includes the classic extended cut "Love Put Me On the Corner", a baroque soul symphony in itself; an amazing remake of "It's Too Late" that's way different than the original; the middle-class anthem "Work To Do"; and the funky cuts "Pop That Thang" and "Layaway". CD

A really standout bit of blue-eyed soul from Gino Vannelli – the kind of record that shouldn't be so great, but really holds up well over the years! The style is tight and studio-oriented – somewhere in the mode of Bobby Caldwell and some of Gino's other cross-over contemporaries – but the album avoids most adult contemporary cliches, and keeps things sounding pretty real overall with some good studio backing, and a sense of jazz amidst the tightness – a bit like Steely Dan, but more poppish. Titles include "The River Must Flow", "I Just Wanna Stop", "Love & Emotion", "Feel Like Flying", "Brother To Brother", "Wheels Of Life", "The Evil Eye", and "People I Belong To". LP, Vinyl record album

Some mighty fierce, almost freaky guitar starts out this rare gem from Gloria Ann Taylor – before these weirdly exotic strings come in and warm things up, then set a course for Taylor's vocals to follow! Guitar returns strongly for this nice trippy solo in the middle – and really makes the track something unique! "Brother Less Than A Man" has a nicely righteous vibe – congas with the rhythms, and this gospelly lead from Gloria right at the start – before soaring into the fierce, powerful groove of the cut – which almost feels like one of Archie Shepp's more spiritual experiments from the early 70s – but with heavy guitar instead of tenor! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Raw soul from Camille Bob – a singer who only cut a handful of tunes, all of them great! "Stop" has these wicked vocals right up front in the mix – almost as if Camille is trying to blow the needles way into the red – rising high above the fierce funky guitar and bold horns in the groove! "Brother Brown" is a wicked bit of funk – fast guitar with a mad wah wah groove, topped with horns that are tight one minute, weird the next – all given this bad-rapping lyric from Camille that's totally outta site! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A really standout bit of blue-eyed soul from Gino Vannelli – the kind of record that shouldn't be so great, but really holds up well over the years! The style is tight and studio-oriented – somewhere in the mode of Bobby Caldwell and some of Gino's other cross-over contemporaries – but the album avoids most adult contemporary cliches, and keeps things sounding pretty real overall with some good studio backing, and a sense of jazz amidst the tightness – a bit like Steely Dan, but more poppish. Titles include "The River Must Flow", "I Just Wanna Stop", "Love & Emotion", "Feel Like Flying", "Brother To Brother", "Wheels Of Life", "The Evil Eye", and "People I Belong To". CD

An oft-overlooked funky soul gem from the incredible Roy Ayers – taking turns with both uptempo material and more smoothed out soul sounds – all done with Roy's trademark jazzy approach to the dancefloor! No Stranger To Love is a sly, and often funky set that deserves to be mentioned with his more famous dancefloor ready work of the late 70s – and if it gets an extra point two for the incredibly cool cover photo, the slow burning grooves more than deliver on the promise! The album does a really nice job of rolling out both the sultry jazzy soul and the funkier Ayers modes, with sweet strings in spots, Roy's incomparable vibes, bass and keyboard grooving, and vocals that set the mood for both the slow jams and the funky stuff! Includes the extended mellow number "Don't Let Our Love Slip Away", one of Roy's better downtempo moments, plus great stuff like "Don't Stop The Feeling", plus "What You Won't Do For Love", "No Stranger To Love/Want You", "Shack Up, Pack Up, It's Up (When I'm Gone)", "Don't Hide Your Love". CD

A great early 70s entry from The Beach Boys – and a record that's nicely balanced between mature pop tunes and more experimental moments! The set kicks off with the sublime "Sail On Sailor" – a tightly compressed, wonderfully catchy number that's easily one of the group's greatest of the decade – and other tracks range from gentle ballads to playful numbers to others that explore more spiritual themes. All group members contributed tunes, and helped in production, but somehow we feel the tighter hand of Brian Wilson behind it all. Titles include "Sail On Sailor", "The Trader", "Funky Pretty", "Only With You", "Leaving This Town", and the "California Saga". LP, Vinyl record album

A record with "surf" in the title, but one that's light years from the earlier Beach Boys albums of the 60s! This set is a wonderfully mature effort – hardly surf music at all, and one that moves nicely in the same territory as Sunflower and 20/20! Some of the tunes are wonderfully gentle and heartfelt, and others try for some new subject matter for the group – sometimes missing the mark a bit, but still holding our interest strongly in the way they try. Genius work include "Disney Girls" and "Til I Die" – both instant classics – and other titles include "Don't Go Near The Water", "Long Promised Road", "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", and "Surf's Up". CD

A record with "surf" in the title, but one that's light years from the earlier Beach Boys albums of the 60s! This set is a wonderfully mature effort – hardly surf music at all, and one that moves nicely in the same territory as Sunflower and 20/20! Some of the tunes are wonderfully gentle and heartfelt, and others try for some new subject matter for the group – sometimes missing the mark a bit, but still holding our interest strongly in the way they try. Genius work include "Disney Girls" and "Til I Die" – both instant classics – and other titles include "Don't Go Near The Water", "Long Promised Road", "A Day In The Life Of A Tree", and "Surf's Up". LP, Vinyl record album

One of a rare few electric albums from the great Walter Bishop Jr – a pianist who started during the bop years, but really grew into new modes in the 70s! The set's an album on Muse, but one with the same hip grooves as Walter Bishop's pair of excellent albums for the Black Jazz label – and like those gems, this set features Bishop working on Fender Rhodes – hitting a groove we never would have expected in the old days, and really going for a style that's at the hippest end of the soul jazz spectrum of the 70s! Tunes are a mix of funky fusion and modal, spiritual styles – and other players include Randy Brecker on trumpet, Gerry Niewood on tenor and flute, and George Young on soprano and alto sax – and the horns are all arranged tightly by Mitch Farber, in a way that adds an extra edge to the record, but still leaves plenty of space for Bishop's solo flights on the keys. Titles include great versions of "Soul Village", "Coral Keys", and "Soul Turnaround" – plus the cuts "Philadelphia Bright", "Sweet Rosa", and "Valerie". CD

2 late 70s gems from Willie Bobo – 1978's Hell Of An Act To Follow and 1979's Bobo – on a single CD! Hell Of An Act To Follow is really nice stuff from Willie – maybe not as hard and funky as his early 70s work, but very nice in kind of a Latin Club mode, thanks to some great production by Wayne Henderson! The album's a killer blend of funky fusion and Latin rhythms, very much in the NuYorica mode, especially at that mid 70s point when New York groups were getting a taste of a bit more production. Includes Willie's classic take on "Always There" – which is a great dancefloor jazz jammer – plus Henderson's groovy stepper "Keep that Same Old Feeling", and the tracks "Together", "Dindi", and "Pisces". Bobo is kind of a rare Columbia set from 1979 – with a mix dancefloor ready Latin, bits of fusiony funk & soul, and overall much more of vocals record than was typical for Willie – featuring Errol Knowles' doing the honors, plus a Bobo father & son duet. Really kind of an uptempo dancefloor groover from Willie overall, with a couple more laidback numbers! Includes the opener "Palos", "Comin Over To Me", "Latin Lady (Celia's Song)", "It's Over", "Set You Free", "Father And Son" and more. The Soul Brother Records CD version includes a bonus track remix of "Always There". CD

A classic set that goes "slam" from the very first note – and which helped to set the pace for countless ensemble funk acts to come! Brass Construction had a wonderful sound that was the best-realized version of the east coast indie club combos of the mid 70s – funky at the bottom, but polished at the top, in a style that was equally appreciated by fans of disco and more classic funky soul! The "brass" in their title was certainly strongly supported – as the group used a brace of horns on the top of the mix, smoothly gliding over the choppier rhythms at the bottom. And while there's certainly some vocals on the set, they often take second stage to the tight instrumentation of the group! The set includes the classic "Movin" – virtually a blueprint for mainstream funk at the time – plus the tracks "Changin", "Love", "Talkin", "Dance", and "Peekin". CD

Brass Construction's fifth album, and the group's still grooving harder than most of their contemporaries! The legendary Randy Muller is still fully in charge here – serving up his trademark lean, mean arrangements that compress all elements of the music firmly on the beat – all in a way that creates one of the funkiest grooves you'll ever hear in mainstream late 70s club! There's plenty of great little touches to keep each tune interesting – bits of strings, keyboards, or other elements that burst out of the mix playfully . Titles include "It's Alright", "Watch Out", "I Want Some Action", "Right Place", "Music Makes You Feel Like Dancing", and "Shakit". CD

The second album from Brass Construction – heavy horns, basslines, and stellar dancefloor grooves – a stone classic! The first one was totally great, but they cast a wider stylistic claim on II – their trademark funky sound is still very firmly in place, but they bring more to the plate. The rhythms and percussion have a more globally steeped flare at points on the album, and there's a more smoldering, slightly mellower vibe on some tracks, without sacrificing the funk. The whole thing's fused together wonderfully – with the larger group moving with the energy a much smaller combo – and titles include "Sambo", "Screwed", "Get To The Point", "What's On Your Mind", and "Now Is Tomorrow". CD

Smooth modern soul from Leroy Burgess – one of the best underground talents of the 70s/80s east coast scene! Leroy's probably best known for his early work with the harmony group Black Ivory – but after the breakup of that ensemble, he moved out on his own to work on a number of excellent projects. Most of that work was scattered over smaller labels – and a number of releases only came out as singles, making a clear picture of Leroy's career at the time a difficult thing to realize. Fortunately, this great set brings together a wealth of work from that period – creating a tight batch of uptempo grooves that shows Leroy's enormous contribution to dancefloor soul after the end of the 70s. Tracks include "Get Down Friday Night" and "Hooked On Your Love" by The Fantastic Aleems; "You've Got That Something", "Dancing In The Stars", and "I Know You Will" by Logg; "Heavenly" and "Heartbreaker" by Leroy Burgess; and "Release Yourself" and "Get Loose" by Aleem. CD

A fantastic bit of modern soul from Norman Connors – proof that he was still growing and changing as an artist, continuing to push his groove into whole new areas as the 70s progressed. The record takes the smooth jazzy sound of the earlier Buddah sides, sharpens it into a more sophisticated modern soul style, fused with a bit of a quiet storm vocal approach, to create a wonderfully mature album of silky soul tracks. Part of the strength comes from the vocalists – who include Eleanor Mills and Jean Carn – and Norman also does a bit of singing on the record, and comes across surprisingly well. Tracks include "Stella", "This Is Your Life", "Wouldn't You Like To See", "Butterfly", "Captain Connors", and a wonderful jazzy soul reworking of "The Creator Has A Master Plan". CD also features a bonus track – a 12" mix of "Captain Connors". CD

A wonderful album of mellow soul tracks! The record is Lou Courtney's masterpiece – and it's a jam-packed set filled with great tracks that rank right up there with classic 70s work by artists like Marvin Gaye, Leroy Hutson, or Leon Ware! Leon Pendarvis handled most of the arrangements – and the record's got a wonderfully full soul sound – with a mix of moody keyboard-driven groovers and ballads – all topped by excellent vocals from Lou, miles ahead of any work he did in the early days! The best thing, though, is the songwriting, as these tracks rank right up there with the best underground mellow soul we can think of – sophisticated yet not soppy, filled with soulful lyrics about love and losing it, never giving into cliches of other soul from the time. A real dream of an album – and filled with great tracks like "I Will If You Will", "I'm In Need Of Love", "Just To Let Him Break Your Heart", "Somebody New Is Loving On You", "Just To Let Him Break Your Heart", and "The Common Broken Heart". CD

Rare early 70s soul from Cinci! "Doon-Chang" by the female vocal combo 4 Jades has a little bit of a psych funk vibe going on thanks to the guitars – with a funky bassline prominent in the mix, some sax, nicely -grooving organ and solid drums. Still, it's the voices that shine the brightest! Sweet lead and backup vocals really make this one a standout. "Gee How I Miss You" is a mellower tune – but still with a heavy bass groove – and the vocals are even more sublime on this track! The flip has a pair of strong, stylistically divergent tracks by Longmire – the funky disco instrumental gem "Make You Wanna Holler" – and the tender vocal ballad "Everybody's Somebody's Fool". 12-inch, Vinyl record

A 70s soul jazz classic – one of those albums we go back to again and again over the years for inspiration! The album was one of the first from young reed player Carlos Garnett – and it's virtually a super-session for the time – with a sublime lineup that perfectly blends spiritual jazz with funk and soul touches! The vibe here is incredible – far deeper than even on any of Garnett's other albums of the time – at a level that sounds as beautiful on the mellow cuts as it does on the soaring, spiritual soul jazz anthems that have made the record a classic for years. The record features vocals by Dee Dee Bridgewater and Ayodelle Jenkins – and instrumentation from Charles Sullivan on trumpet, Mauricio Smith on flute, Reggie Lucas on guitar, Norman Connors on drums, Mtume on congas, and Onaje Allen Gumbs on piano – plus Carlos himself on tenor, alto, and soprano sax. Titles include the perennial favorites "Mother of the Future" and "Taurus Woman", two cuts which transformed the global jazz dance scene years back – plus the tracks "Ebonesque", "Black Love", and "Banks of the Nile". CD features 2 bonus alternate takes of "Banks Of The Nile" and "Taurus Woman". CD

Soaring soul from Carlos Garnett – one of the reedman's key 70s sides for the Muse Records label – work we'd rank right up there with the spiritual best of Gary Bartz or Norman Connors at the time! Like both of those contemporaries, Garnett's really reaching for something new in the post-Coltrane generation – mixing electric and acoustic instrumentation with compelling rhythmic changes – and often letting in a bit of vocals as well. Most of the music here is instrumental – with Garnett on tenor and baritone sax, plus the great Hubert Eaves on keyboards and Reggie Lucas on guitar – but some tracks also feature very nice vocals from Prema, a female singer who takes up the same sort of role you might find Dee Dee Bridgewater doing with Connors, or Jean Carn with husband Doug. The blend is wonderful, and the vocals really help give the musical message some weight when the come into the mix – and titles include "Panama Roots", "Senor Trane", "Samba Serenade", and "Ghetto Jungle". CD

Genius work from reedman Carlos Garnett – all pulled from his classic 70s years on Muse Records, reissued on vinyl here for the first time ever in many decades! The very limited package pulls together all those standout cuts from Garnett's albums – those wonderfully soulful, spiritual numbers that we keep going back to again and again – including "Black Love", "Mother Of The Future", "Mystery Of Ages", "Memories Of Coltrane", "Journey To Enlightenment", "Good Shepherd", "Ghetto Jungle", "Samba Serenade", "Banks Of The Nile", and "Chana". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from reedman Carlos Garnett – caught here during the great first chapter of his career, when he cut some really unique albums for Muse Records! This set really has Carlos coming into his own – still working at the spiritual jazz level of earlier releases, but also finding a way to complicate the rhythms a bit – bringing in modes that are really fresh and inventive – sometimes slightly funky, but never slick or polished at all – and still with plenty of bite on all the instrumentation! Garnett plays tenor and soprano sax – the latter with an especially sharp tone – and the group also features Terumasa Hino on trumpet, Joe Bonner on keyboards, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums – plus lots of added percussion. There's a great mix of acoustic reed and trumpet lines with the sweet keyboards of Bonner – and titles include "Bolerock", "Uncle Ben & Aunt Jemma", "The New Love", "Memories Of Coltrane", and "Dance of The Virgins". CD

The first compilation to really do justice to jazz funk legend Eddie Henderson – and a great one, too! Henderson's spacey trumpet style graced some of the best Blue Note and Capitol jazz sides to come out during the 70s – and his open-ended snakey way of playing was very different than many of his 70s contemporaries on the instrument. Plus, Eddie never minded a little bit of smooth production, and was certainly one of the more soulful players of his generation – forging a unique style that was in the same camp as Donald Byrd's sweet fusion work for Blue Note in the mid 70s, but with a spacey style that's really great. Nearly every cut on the CD features production work by Skip Drinkwater – who was to Eddie what Larry Mizell was to Donald Byrd – and most of this work has been long unavailable for years! Titles include "Kudu", "Explodition", "Involuntary Bliss", "Inside You", "Galaxy", "Butterfly", "Say You Will", "Amoroso", "Open Eyes", "Prance On", and "Hopscotch". Excellent work throughout – performed in the company of some of the 70s best funky fusion players! CD

One of the nicer Willie Hutch albums on Motown – a killer batch of heavy and funky tracks that evoke some of his soundtrack work from the same time – as well as a more hard grooving album-oriented approach! Willie arranged and produced, and there's lots of nice moogy and guitary bits – plus sweet backup chorus vocals and a few more soaring elements – making this one a cool mix of grittier grooves, stranger textures and a few softer touches. Titles include "Get Ready For The Get Down", "Don't You Let Nobody Tell You How To Do Your Thing", "I'm Gonna Stay", "Mark Of The Beast", "Woman You Touched Me" and "Life's No Fun Living In the Ghetto". CD

One of the greatest female singers on the east coast scene at the end of the 60s – heard here on a classic Warner Brothers set that includes some of her best-remembered tracks! At some level, the set's a prequel to Linda's later recordings for the Stang/All Platinum label – as it features production and arrangements by the great George Kerr – who really has a way with slow-moving soul tunes, and the kind of sad-tinged tracks that Jones always did so well! Plus, his raw production really brings out some of the deeper soul qualities in Linda's voice – a mode that's quite a surprise at times, and presented here in a way that's far beyond any of the Aretha Franklin-styled cliches of other singers. Jones is a tremendously unique talent in female soul, and this album's her lasting legacy – a true treasure with cuts that include the hit "Hypnotized", plus loads of other nice ones like "Last Minute Miracle", "Give My Love A Try", "You Can't Take It", "What've I Done", and "I Can't Stand It". Also comes with a bonus 45 – with "I Just Can't Live My Life" and "My Heart Needs A Break"! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare funky gem from Madcliff – an early project from Chris Hills, who'd soon go onto greater fame in Players Association! The album's got a much more soul-based sound than Hills' later material – still upbeat and groovy, but delivered with an indie soul vibe that keeps things nice and raw – much more tight funk than slick disco, even though some of the grooves here are perfect for the club! The album only saw brief release on the tiny Guinness label – who also gave us the classic Newban set – and this record's got a similar blend of righteous currents and jazzy funk – all served up at a level that's very individual, and which has made the whole thing an overlooked gem for years! Chris uses some bold piano currents, light string flourishes, and some right rhythms that really keep things funky, even when clubby – on titles that include "Goin To The Disco", "I Like It", "You Can Make The Change", "It Takes A Little Time", "Just Another Woman", "What The People Say About Love", and "Steal You Away". CD

Steve Marshall towers above the 70s San Francisco skyline on the cover of this record – and the set features some equally towering grooves to match! The style here is a bit unusual – kind of a west coast take on the underground modes of the P&P empire out east, mixed with a bit of soul jazz – spare, simple club tracks that are a lot more stripped-down than regular disco – with a real focus on the core rhythms and select instrumentation on the cuts! Bits of strings slide into the mix, but they're never overdone – and most numbers pulsate with a really earthy sort of groove – heavy on bass, peppered with female vocals, and lots of funky keyboards and horns. There's also a slightly jazzy vibe at times – especially on numbers that feature flute work from Marshall – which gives the tunes a lyrical quality that's nice and warm, especially alongside the chorus vocals – which sometimes have a righteous qualitytoo. The reissue really brings up the sound nicely – with the Kenny Dope stamp of approval right on the back – and the CD also features lots of bonus tracks too! Titles include "Do What You Will", "This Choiceless Awareness", "Disco Rhapsody", "Maintain", "In The Country", and "Children Of The Mind". CD features 5 bonus tracks – including "Maintain (12" version)", "Do What You Will (12" version)", "Maintain (7" version)", "Creative Happiness (7" version)", and "Still Thinking Of You (flute solo)". CD

A lost bit of modern soul from New Jersey – sweet, mellow, and with a groove that's very much in the Philly indie mode of the late 70s! Not much is known about Lee, but the album's got that laidback, late nite groove that makes indie soul so great – professional in intent, but handled with an honest simplicity that makes the record a bit more compelling than most of its contemporaries. Contains a version of "We've Only Just Begun" that's so great it's got to be heard to be believed – completely different than the original, done with jazzy conga flourishes that really open up the groove. Other tracks include "Gotta Get Home", "Sweet Magic", "Slow Down", "Let's Play Luck", and "Show Me". CD

The only album ever cut by Eleanor Mills – and a female soul treasure from the 70s that we've totally loved for years! Eleanor has a style that's partly deep soul, but she often works with some of the sweeter soul tendencies of the east coast scene at the time – no surprise, as she recorded this set of tracks for the All-Platinum subsidiary Astroscope in 1974, with production by Sammy Lowe and The Moments – with a sound that's just out of the world! Eleanor's rich voice is produced with a super-dope New Jersey sound, occasionally mixed with harder instrumentation, and the kind of spacey soul arrangements that make the cuts float away into the heavens. The album's one of the lost holy grails of New Jersey soul – a female soul album you can stack proudly next to your All-Platinum classics by The Whatnauts or Moments – and titles include "Fascinating Devastating Man", "He Said Goodbye", "Stop Accusing Me", "Telegram", "Teach Me Baby", and "I'm Gonna Get You". CD features three great bonus tracks – "Singing The Blues", "Something Is On Your Mind", and a very cool vintage radio ad promoting the album! LP, Vinyl record album

The only album ever cut by Eleanor Mills – and a female soul treasure from the 70s that we've totally loved for years! Eleanor has a style that's partly deep soul, but she often works with some of the sweeter soul tendencies of the east coast scene at the time – no surprise, as she recorded this set of tracks for the All-Platinum subsidiary Astroscope in 1974, with production by Sammy Lowe and The Moments – with a sound that's just out of the world! Eleanor's rich voice is produced with a super-dope New Jersey sound, occasionally mixed with harder instrumentation, and the kind of spacey soul arrangements that make the cuts float away into the heavens. The album's one of the lost holy grails of New Jersey soul – a female soul album you can stack proudly next to your All-Platinum classics by The Whatnauts or Moments – and titles include "Fascinating Devastating Man", "He Said Goodbye", "Stop Accusing Me", "Telegram", "Teach Me Baby", and "I'm Gonna Get You". CD features three great bonus tracks – "Singing The Blues", "Something Is On Your Mind", and a very cool vintage radio ad promoting the album! CD

One of the funkiest albums ever on Blue Note – a set that mixes the trumpet talents of Blue Mitchell with some killer backings from Monk Higgins – all in a groove that more gritty edges than the best funky soundtracks of the time! Higgins keeps the backings full, but always quite lean – fusing all elements together into a sharp, tight rhythm that steps along with some of the slight African touches you might guess from the title – a groove that's not really that authentic, but which resonates with some of the best inspirations that Hugh Masekela was bringing to American music at the time. And while the album might be an attempt to cash in on Masekela's groove, the feel here is really quite different overall – as tracks are nicely stretched out, with plenty of room for jazzy solo work – and a groove that's much harder overall, thanks to Higgins! Other players include Freddy Robinson on guitar, Wilton Felder on bass, Paul Humphrey on drums, and Plas Johnson on tenor – and titles include "HNIC", "Flat Backing", "Na Ta Ka", "Bantu Village", and "Blue Dashiki". CD

A great late 70s chapter in the career of funky drummer Idris Muhammad – moving into very different territory here than his early soul jazz with Lou Donaldson, and even his earliest solo material too! David Matthews arranged the tracks, and he's given them a slick but soulful sound, with lots of spacey fusion elements, and a nice funky soul vibe that's a bit similar to some of Larry Mizell's work – stretched out in this great mix of grooves and deeper jazzier elements – even at a level that's hipper than Matthews' usual material from the time. Idris is at the core on percussion – and the lineup also includes Jeremy Steig on flute, Eric Gale on guitar, Randy Brecker on trumpet, and Wilbur Bascomb on bass – and titles include the seminal "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This", plus "Cambay Bolongo", "Tasty Cakes", "Crab Apple", "Moon Hymn", and "Say What". CD

A killer collection of work from one of the hippest jazz singers of all time – captured here at a point when he was really opening up into some fresh, unique territory of his own! Mark Murphy first began recording in the mid 50s for Decca, and had a run of other records in the 60s for Capitol, Fontana, and other labels – but by the time he hit Muse Records in the 70s, he was really open to new ideas – and able to do far more than just the simple singing of a tune! Instead, he'd worked his voice into a mode that was more like an instrument overall – able to run free with brilliant solo passages, and inflect the lyrics in ways that even the great singers of years before might never have dreamed of! And at Muse, he got excellent support and instrumental backing – always hip combos, and the freedom to create the sort of special albums that still make his records for the label a real high point in the development of jazz vocals. These are sides that went onto inform generations of singers – from Kurt Elling, to Gregory Porter, and so many others – and this well-chosen selection of songs is completely sublime. Titles include "On The Red Clay", "Stolen Moments", "Effendi", "Naima", "Maiden Voyage", "Lookin For Another Pure Love", "Waters Of March", "Come & Get Me", "Be-Bop Lives", "Dingwalls", "Cantaloupe Island", "Sly", "Empty Faces", and "Two Kites". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of 70s gems from Esther Phillips – back to back on a single CD! Black Eyed-Blues is one of Esther's strong winners for Kudu – a record that takes her soulful style of earlier years, and wraps it around some sly 70s funky arrangements! Ex-James Brown hornman Pee Wee Ellis arranged the album, and gave Esther a nice little dose of funk that really helped her groove – getting out of the sad bag of her Atlantic recordings, and sounding hipper than anyone would have expected! The record features the great slow funk groover "Black Eyed Blues" – and other tracks include "I've Only Known A Stranger", "You Could Have Had Me, Baby", and "Too Many Roads". CD also features the bonus track "Tangle In Your Lifeline", previously unissued! Capricorn Princess is a pretty amazing, and too long overlooked set from Esther Phillips – her final album for Kudu – and a beautiful mix of soaring soul sounds from one the most unique, emotionally-inflected soul vocalists of her era! Esther's in prime Kudu mode here – working with jazzy arrangements by David Matthews and Pee Wee Ellis, adding her unique, grit-inflected soul chanteuse vocals to a smoother mix of instrumentation that creates a perfect counterpoint that took her way past her earlier work! There's also a couple of really sweet disco skewed numbers that work incredibly well – with spacier bits of synth and a dancefloor soul bed of percussion and rhythms – and in general, the arrangements are pretty great from track-to-track! Players include Randy Brecker and Mike Brecker on trumpet and tenor sax, Bray Miles on synthesizer, Bobby Lyle on clavinet, Eric Gale on guitar, Joe Farrell on tenor sax and alto flute, percussionist Ralph MacDonald and other excellent name musicians and others bring a grand sweep and sweeter intimacy when the mood requires. Titles include "Magic's In The Air", "A Beautiful Friendship", "Boy, I Really Tied One On", "Higher & Higher", and "All The Way Down". CD

A pair of amazing records from percussionist Dom Um Romao – back to back in a single set! The self-titled Dom Um Romao is an unbelievably fantastic album, and perhaps the greatest one that Dom Um Romao ever cut! Dom recorded this set in America with a blend of Brazilian and New York musicians – creating an incredible sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – a rich harmony of Brazilian roots and more creative 70s electric instrumentation – filled with complicated shades, tones, and colors! We'd place this record next to the best electric work by David Axelrod, the dopest funk on CTI, and a rare few other jazz funk albums from the 70s – and the whole thing's completely sublime all the way through! Players include Joao Donato on piano, Dom Salvador on Fender Rhodes, Lloyd McNeil on flute, Mauricio Smith on tenor and soprano sax, Sivuca on organ and guitar, and Joe Beck on electric guitar – and titles include the spare spacey groover "Dom's Tune", the lively dancer "Cinnamon Flower", the jazzy "Family Talk", a great version of "Ponteio", and a take on Sivuca's "Adeus Maria Fulo". Spirit Of The Times is an incredible set of Brazilian jazz – one of the few albums that percussionist Dom Um Romao recorded as a leader, and sublime all the way through! The record's got a wonderful blend of funky fusion and Brazilian percussion – and features a group from two continents that includes Sivuca on organ, Dom Salvador on electric piano, Joe Beck on guitar, Jerry Dodgion on alto sax, Lloyd McNeill on flute, and Mauricio Smith on tenor, soprano, and flute. Includes the percussion jammer "Shake (Ginga Gingou)", the modal groover "Wait on the Corner", and the lively scatting tune "The Angels" – but the whole album's great, and other tracks include "The Salvation Army", "Kitchen", and "Lamento Negro". CD

A pair of amazing records from percussionist Dom Um Romao – back to back in a single set! The self-titled Dom Um Romao is an unbelievably fantastic album, and perhaps the greatest one that Dom Um Romao ever cut! Dom recorded this set in America with a blend of Brazilian and New York musicians – creating an incredible sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – a rich harmony of Brazilian roots and more creative 70s electric instrumentation – filled with complicated shades, tones, and colors! We'd place this record next to the best electric work by David Axelrod, the dopest funk on CTI, and a rare few other jazz funk albums from the 70s – and the whole thing's completely sublime all the way through! Players include Joao Donato on piano, Dom Salvador on Fender Rhodes, Lloyd McNeil on flute, Mauricio Smith on tenor and soprano sax, Sivuca on organ and guitar, and Joe Beck on electric guitar – and titles include the spare spacey groover "Dom's Tune", the lively dancer "Cinnamon Flower", the jazzy "Family Talk", a great version of "Ponteio", and a take on Sivuca's "Adeus Maria Fulo". Spirit Of The Times is an incredible set of Brazilian jazz – one of the few albums that percussionist Dom Um Romao recorded as a leader, and sublime all the way through! The record's got a wonderful blend of funky fusion and Brazilian percussion – and features a group from two continents that includes Sivuca on organ, Dom Salvador on electric piano, Joe Beck on guitar, Jerry Dodgion on alto sax, Lloyd McNeill on flute, and Mauricio Smith on tenor, soprano, and flute. Includes the percussion jammer "Shake (Ginga Gingou)", the modal groover "Wait on the Corner", and the lively scatting tune "The Angels" – but the whole album's great, and other tracks include "The Salvation Army", "Kitchen", and "Lamento Negro". CD

Gil Scott Heron's first album for Arista – very much in the mellow soul jazz work of his legendary album on Strata East! The record features some wonderfully moody jazz backing that really marks a shift in Gil's style – never going too far over the top, but hitting a sweet groove that really lets him open up as a singer even more than before! There's plenty of warm electric piano on the album, couched in those wonderfully soulful phrases that Gil and Brian Jackson could cook up so effortlessly at the time – and tracks include the fantastic cut "Winter In America", plus "The Liberation Song (Red, Black And Green)", "Ain't No Such Thing As Superman" "We Beg Your Pardon", "Alluswe" and "Western Sunrise". CD

The amazing second album from The Soul Searchers – even harder, funkier, and rarer than the first! This one blows away everything else the group have ever done – as the record has an angular approach that has the band taking a lot of weird twists with the grooves, creating these dark jazzy edges that have forever made the album a favorite with fans of deep-thinking funk! The massively funky sound of the group's debut are further increased here by a hipper, more sophisticated approach to rhythm and soul – one that's got the group flowing through warm moments one minute, then cutting things into deeper, sharper tones the next. Titles include the sublime "Ashley's Roachclip", a famous BDP sample from way back – plus the cuts "I Rolled It You Hold It", "Blow Your Whistle", "Funk To The Folks", "Ain't It Heavy", and "If It Ain't Funky". LP, Vinyl record album

The incredibly rare second album from Wood Brass & Steel – the mighty funk group we've loved for years for their landmark debut from the mid 70s! This sophomore set is from a few years later, and has the group honing their groove even more – working with these righteous currents in their music that expand the sound into territory that's almost a bit like Roy Ayers at times! As with Ayers, the vocals are often layered into the rhythms – sometimes sung by group members with this soulfully flowing current that has a subtle, sublime sort of vibe – and which works perfectly for the message in the music. Tunes are often in the faster side of midtempo – but never conventional club or disco at all – and there's this really special quality to the whole record, one that even tops the unique vibe of their first album. The original album was very briefly issued by Sugar Hill, during a time when the label was mostly doing hip hop – and is impossibly hard to find in the original pressing. Titles include "Open Up Your Heart", "Be Yourself", "Long Live Music", "Space Walk", "Fly With Music", "Superstar", and "Are You Busy". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare early single from Wood Brass & Steel – issued years before their one and only album! The track's a very righteous one – with a message that's as political as it is funky, and which really picks up off the "It's A New Day" theme of the Skullsnaps tune of the same name. In fact, the track sounds very similar to that one – and is listed here with a different title. The cut's got a nice funky combo sound – harder than the group's later work, in a good east coast indie mode! The flipside has the group taking on Ronnie Laws' great "Always There" groove – which they do with their sublime mix of funk and jazzy riffing – perfect for the track! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Wonderful! This is a lost bit of New Jersey funk on the Turbo label, featuring a group that includes Doug Wimbish and Skip McDonald before they became part of the Sugarhill house band, and then part of the On-U Sound collective. The album's a great mix of warmly soulful instrumental grooving – with some tracks that have a tight uptempo feel, and others that are slower and harder, but equally jazzy. The whole thing's the kind of funky record that you'd love to find while digging through the crates – and it's had long life over the past few decades, thanks to the rich variety of tunes on the set. Includes the classic cut "Funkanova", an uptempo jazzy intrumental that continued to be a club favorite throughout the house years – plus loads of other good cuts, too, like "WBS Theme" and a version of "Always There". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost southern soul album from the 70s – recorded down at Muscle Shoals by singer Sandra Wright, and originally intended for release on Stax Records – but never issued at the time! Sandra's a great singer – deep soul, but with a touch of class, too – and the approach here shows that maturing Muscle Shoals sound, recorded at the Broadway Studio by David Johnson – at a level that's a bit in the Ann Sexton side of the spectrum – a sparkling, sophisticated feel that almost reminds us of the best female soul coming from Detroit or Chicago at the time, but with a slightly deeper range. Stax issued a few singles, but never issued the full album – which makes this one even more of a treasure for collectors of that time! Titles include "Wounded Woman", "The Sha-La Bandit", "Midnight Affair", "I Come Running Back", "I'm Not Strong Enough To Love You Again", "Please Don't Say Goodbye", and "A Man Can't Be A Man". CD

Carlos Garnett really finds his own sound here – and steps into a wonderful blend of funky riffs, spiritual styles, and more – all in one of the most ambitious albums he cut during the 70s! There's a really expansive blend of acoustic and electric instrumentation going on here – played by a large ensemble, but one that's got a nicely focused feel – a groove that really pushes the sound of Garnett's other records with its wide instrumentation, yet which still has all the punch and power of before! Carlos brings in a few slight Caribbean touches – elements he'd experimented with a bit before – and the lineup includes Kenny Kirkland on Fender Rhodes, Roy Campbell and Abdul Malik on trumpets, Al Brown and Charles Dougherty on also sax, Zane Massey and Akum Ra Amen Ra on tenor, Andrew Washington and Cliff Anderson on trombone, Otis McCleary on guitar, Cecil McBee on bass, and Neil Clark and Gene Ballard on percussion. Cheryl P Alexander Sings soulfully at one great spot – the stunning "Mystery Of Ages", which almost feels like a Oneness Of Juju cut – and other titles include "Cosmos Nucleus", "Wise Old Men", "Kafira" and "Bed-Stuy Blues". CD

A stone 70s classic from reedman Carlos Garnett – and a set that's every bit as righteous as you'd guess from the cover and the title! Garnett really soars to the heavens here – blowing a mixture of different instruments in a setting that takes off from his classic Black Love album, but which is almost even headier overall! Garnett vocalizes on some of the tracks – often working alongside singer Ayodele Jenkins, in a mode that sets things up with these righteous lyrics – then lets the instrumental passages really take over, and express the message in an even deeper way. The core group is nice and tight – with keyboards from Hubert Eaves, guitar from Reggie Lucas, bass from Anthony Jackson and drums from Howard King – plus extra percussion from Charles Pulliam and Neil Clarke – both of whom really fill in the music with lots of complicated rhythmic elements. Titles include the stunning groover "Chana" – plus "Journey To Enlightenment", "Love Flower", "Caribbean Sun", and "Let Us Go To Higher Heights". CD

A rare funky gem from Madcliff – an early project from Chris Hills, who'd soon go onto greater fame in Players Association! The album's got a much more soul-based sound than Hills' later material – still upbeat and groovy, but delivered with an indie soul vibe that keeps things nice and raw – much more tight funk than slick disco, even though some of the grooves here are perfect for the club! The album only saw brief release on the tiny Guinness label – who also gave us the classic Newban set – and this record's got a similar blend of righteous currents and jazzy funk – all served up at a level that's very individual, and which has made the whole thing an overlooked gem for years! Chris uses some bold piano currents, light string flourishes, and some right rhythms that really keep things funky, even when clubby – on titles that include "Goin To The Disco", "I Like It", "You Can Make The Change", "It Takes A Little Time", "Just Another Woman", "What The People Say About Love", and "Steal You Away". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of work from one of the hippest jazz singers of all time – captured here at a point when he was really opening up into some fresh, unique territory of his own! Mark Murphy first began recording in the mid 50s for Decca, and had a run of other records in the 60s for Capitol, Fontana, and other labels – but by the time he hit Muse Records in the 70s, he was really open to new ideas – and able to do far more than just the simple singing of a tune! Instead, he'd worked his voice into a mode that was more like an instrument overall – able to run free with brilliant solo passages, and inflect the lyrics in ways that even the great singers of years before might never have dreamed of! And at Muse, he got excellent support and instrumental backing – always hip combos, and the freedom to create the sort of special albums that still make his records for the label a real high point in the development of jazz vocals. These are sides that went onto inform generations of singers – from Kurt Elling, to Gregory Porter, and so many others – and this well-chosen selection of songs is completely sublime. Titles include "On The Red Clay", "Stolen Moments", "Effendi", "Naima", "Maiden Voyage", "Lookin For Another Pure Love", "Waters Of March", "Come & Get Me", "Be-Bop Lives", "Dingwalls", "Cantaloupe Island", "Sly", "Empty Faces", and "Two Kites". CD

A 70s soul classic – and the closest that Gil Scott-Heron ever came to having a hit! The album's best known for its anthemic classic "Johannesburg" – one of the first popular tunes to really push the cause of a free South Africa – but the whole album's a winner, filled with some wonderful tunes that have Gil working with pianist Brian Jackson, in a laidback and soulful style that's even more powerful than his early protest poetry work! Apart from "Johannesburg", the album also features the tunes "The Summer of 42", "South Carolina", "Beginnings (First Minute Of A New Day)", "Lovely Day", and "Toast To The People". CD

91

Soul Searchers —
We The People ... CDSussex/Soul Brother (UK), 1972. New Copy ...
Temporarily Out Of Stock

One the all time great funky albums of the 70s – a mad little record with a sense of rhythm and timing that was years ahead of its time! The Soul Searchers (along with Chuck Brown) later became known for their heavy-hitting Go Go work at the end of the decade – but here, they're a really free-thinking outfit with a lot of jazz in their funk – and a willingness to change up the beats and timings in ways that push the record miles ahead from an average funk outing. Tracks swirl around with an amazing intensity – supported by guitar work from Brown, organ from Hilton Felton, and some really great horns from Don Tillery and Lloyd Pinchback. The album features a wonderful remake of "Think" – plus the great originals "1993", "Soul To The People", "Blowout", and "We The People". CD

Massive work from Eddie Henderson – 2 spaced-out jazz classics that put him right up there with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock for pure 70s genius! The set kicks off with the very cosmic Realization – a tripped-out set with Herbie on keyboards, Pat Gleeson on Arp and moog, Bennie Maupin on reeds, Buster Williams on bass, and Lenny White on drums – all grooving together in a style that's some elements of Herbie's work of the time, especially his later sides for Warner Brothers. The blend of players is magnificent – and produces a really righteous sound that's picked up nicely by the album Inside Out, recorded slightly later in the same year. That set also features Maupin, Hancock, Gleeson, and Williams – plus Billy Hart on drums and Bill Summers on percussion. Together, the albums represent one of the most fruitful periods in Eddie Henderson's career – a freewheeling soul jazz era that was never to be duplicated on later albums! Titles include "Moussaka", "Anua", "Spiritual Awakening", "Mars In Libra", "Dreams", and "Inside Out". CD

A great tribute to the concept of the "wants list" – that crumpled piece of paper that nearly every record collector carries around with them, a listing of hard to find recordings that they're always trying to track down! The set is a great mix of obscure 60s and 70s soul, with a real focus on the kinds of cuts that are all pretty darn important – but also equally hard to track down on their own. Mellow soul is the dominant groove here, making the package a winning set of some killer tunes that are equally appealing now as they were back in the day! Titles include "Touch Me Take Me" by Rita Wright, "Light My Fire" by Erma Franklin, "This Feeling's Rated X-Tra" by Carl Carlton, "One Girl Too Late" by Brenda & The Tabulations, "Let Me Be" by The Duncans, "Mon Belle Amour" by Ann Pebbles, "I Think I'm Falling In Love With You" by Natural High, "I Just Got To Know" by Bennie Johnson, "City Of Brotherly Love" by Soul Survivors, "I'm Always Dancing To The Music" by Benny Golson, "Making Love" by Lou Ragland & GLO, "Hearts & Flowers" by GC Cameron, and "Beware" by Lou Courtney. CD

A standout set from Gil Scott-Heron – and that's saying a lot, given the strength of his other 70s work! This album's a double-length live set – one that has Gil taking on the familiar format of the 70s, and using it to really push the boundaries of his own music too! Most tracks are quite long, and filled with spontaneous energy – a moment in Gil's music to compare to that of Curtis Live for Curtis Mayfield – proof that soul music could be made even better live than in the studio, as long as the setting was right. The record features a very extended version of "The Bottle" which runs for 13 minutes long, and which is a jammer all the way through – and other titles include the great jazzy groover "New York City", plus "Trane", "Must Be Something", "Sharing", and "Home Is Where The Hatred Is". One of the few truly fantastic live soul albums! CD

Erasmo Carlos sounds even cooler here than usual – still working with tunes penned with his brother Roberto – but also taking on music by Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben, and Marcos Valle too! There's a heady undercurrent to the record that's maybe a filtering-through of an earlier Tropicalia vibe – a mode that Erasmo never embraced, but which leaves its impression in some of the more striking arrangements here – especially in the way things trip out at all the best times! Fuzzy guitar and offbeat production really add a lot to the set – and titles include "Maria Joana", "Agora Ninguem Chora Mais", "26 Anos De Vida Normal", "Cica Cecilia", "Mundo Deserto", "Sodoma E Gomorra", "Masculino Feminio", and "De Noite Na Cama". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice!!! This is the tightest full length effort yet by the extended Family Tree collective. Tone B Nimble, Capital D, Iomos Marad, Greenweedz, Rita J, Daily Plannet and the rest have reined in their sound for this one – a very strong set of classically-trained hip hop that should take another step towards establishing Chicago as a vital breeding ground for thoughtful, collaborative hip hop. Like recent work by J Live, J Sands, Lone Catalysts, Little Brother and other natural hip hop crews the Family Tree keep their feet firmly-planted in the roots – crisp samples, loose tongues, and innovative rhymes. The nod to School House Rock is appropriate – the Fam aims to entertain and enlighten – just as the landmark cartoon did, and if they manage to teach some people how strong the Chicago hip hop scene can be, we couldn't be any happier! Tracks include "Spit It", "I Am", "Blow The Spot", "Motive", "Virgo", "Rocks For You", "Horse", "Flow", "Push, Move, Build", "Save It", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Cinematic soul rooted in the rawer organ, drums and horns vibes that resonated deeply in records from north to south in the 70s – done with a lean, tight and head nodding groove no doubt informed by Aloe Blacc's own roots in hip hop – on his best album yet and one of best raw soul styled albums ever to come from our friends at Stones Throw! Good Things is a giant leap ahead of Shine Through, Aloe's previous full length on the label. We loved that record for its gritty, unique approach to funky soul, but, Good Things reaches for the heights of Aloe's heroes from Donny Hathaway to Marvin Gaye – and comes closer than we could have imagined! It's produced by the Truth & Soul team, with a timeless funk & soul vibe comparable to their work with the great Lee Fields. We have a feeling we'll still be listening to this album 10-15-20 years from now. Essential! Titles include the underground breakout "I Need A Dollar", an incredible cover of The Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale" (we must have dropped the needle on that 50 times in the first couple days we had it), "Green Lights", "Miss Fortune", "Good Things", "Loving You Is Killing Me", "Mama Hold My Hand", "Hey Brother" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the rarest and greatest Roy Ayers albums of all time – the sly, funky and spiritual masterpiece He's Coming from 1971 – really the beginning of the funk years from Roy Ayers Ubiquity! This one's a totally solid mix of soulful jazz, jazzy soul and righteous funk – and it's straight up wonderful all the way through – with a groove that's hugely influential to say the least! Includes the amazing track "We Live In Brooklyn Baby", which has a slow sample bassline in the intro that's just incredible – plus groovy cuts like the spiritual funk classic "He's a Superstar", "He's Coming", and "Sweet Tears". The lineup includes Sonny Fortune on soprano sax and flute and Billy Cobham drums and percussion, and the record's co-arranged by Harry Whitaker, who's also on keys and vocals – with other tracks include "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother", "Ain't Got Time", "I Don't Know How To Love Him", "Sweet Butterfly Of Love" and "Fire Weaver". Amazing stuff, really a beautiful encapsulation of Roy Ayers in peak form! CD

An archetypal album by Roy – and one that really shows him at the turning point! Gone are the trippier jazz funk moments of earlier albums – and in their place are some tight grooves and wonderfully spacey soul. Roy hits the dancefloor with one of his first uptempo funk numbers "Brother Green", a catchy groover with lots of clavinet, and the massive "Life Is Just A Moment", a storming 2-part number that rolls along with a pounding almost house-like groove. "Mystic Voyage" shows the sweet jazzy side of Roy – as it's a vibes-heavy instrumental with a light stepping groove, perfect for the mellow direction he'd take on other records. The album also features some great off-beat funk numbers that recall earlier albums – including the break-heavy "Spirit Of Doo Doo", plus "Funky Motion" and "The Black Five". CD

The second volume of Ayler's classic set at Slugs from 1966. Ayler's leading a quintet with brother Donald on trumpet, Michel Sampson on violin, Lewis Worrell on bass, and Ron Jackson on percussion. The music is open-ended & free flowing, but keeps coming back to themes from Ayler's classics "Initiation" and "Ghost". Great stuff, and one of the best live recordings of his work. CD